Leading
Seaman John Tennant told the Birkenhead News reporter: “We sang songs
while we were in the water and the fellows were cracking jokes. They
were a fine lot.” Mr.Tennant told of the heroism of the ships’ crew.
A
British Destroyer picked him up after nearly an hour and a half in the
oil-covered water. Showing
few signs of exhaustion or shock after his terrible ordeal, Mr Tennant
gave a graphic account of the sinking vessel. When interview by the News
report he said,
“I had come off watch a little earlier than usual, and
had gone below to our mess deck. I was just beginning supper a few
minutes before 8 O’clock, when the explosion took place on the port
side, under the deck that I was on and with it most of the lights went
out. There
were only ten other fellows with me on the mess deck. With another chap
I dashed ‘upstairs’- we were the last to leave. The
deck above was the boys mess deck. We tried to get through but the shock
of the first explosion must have upset the lockers. We tried another
door, but we could not get further aft because of the smoke fumes, which
were overpowering. We
therefore went for’ard again and got up by a ladder. By
this time the ship was listing to port, but we managed to get in the
open on the starboard side. The chap that I was with then left me to
help with lowering the boats. It was about 8.15pm now and the ship was
taking a bigger list, I saw the Captain standing on the bridge, I jumped
over the side, I never saw the Captain again. After
that I had to swim for it, I swam out for about a quarter of a mile.
Then drifted on my back and saw that the ship was going down at the bow.
Fearing
that there would be suction when she finally sank, I swam out further. I
met another chap hanging onto a big piece of wood; I caught hold of the
other end to see the last of my ship. But she had already gone. There
can obviously have been no suction, as she went down-bows first. From
then on it was a question of keeping afloat until help came. I left the
other chap because the wood was not strong enough to hold the both of
us. I swam to another log, but gave it up to another man. Then I swam
without support for an hour or so. At
last I found a float that had been broken up. While I drifted on this I
saw the Dutch steamer passing but it was to far away to pick me up. But
about a quarter of an hour later a British destroyer picked me up, I
think I must have been about the last survivor rescued, because
afterwards the destroyer got up steam. It was wonderful to be on board.
We were wrapped in blankets and treated marvellously. I
reached home this morning, of course, all my belongings are lost, but I
am lucky to be here at all. I’m still feeling a bit stiff, but I was
never too exhausted in the water. We sang songs while we were in the
water- Daisy, Daisy and it’s a long way to Tipperary. The fellows were
cracking jokes. They were a fine lot.”
Mr.McDonnell told how he had seen a destroyer give chase after the German submarine
that had torpedoed the Courageous, with depth charges being dropped at
the spot that the Submarine
appeared to be.
“I had just come off duty and was making my way
for’ard to get some supper suddenly the explosion came. The ship
shuddered and as she keeled over, all the light went out. I ran top side
to take my abandon ship station, my job was to help lowering a pinnace.
Because
of the ships’ list we were unable to do anything, I smoked a cigarette
and then undressed. A lot of men thought that the ship would not sink
but she was going lower and lower in the water. Then the order to
“Abandon Ship” was given from the captain, I waited a few more
minutes and then took the last of my clothes off and dived in. I swam
out in the direction of the Destroyer. After about fifty yards I turned
and saw the last of the ship as she went under. After that I was
swimming and catching hold of pieces of wood for about 45 minutes. The
water was black with men and oil, of which I drank mouthfuls! I saw one cutter
that was too full of men capsize. Other fellows on floats were paddling
with their hands and all around men were singing, at last I got up to
the destroyer. Somebody threw me a line and I was pulled aboard. There I
was given food, clothes and hot drinks. I saw one man repeatedly dive
into the sea to rescue men”.
Mr.
Brabander was on the
flight deck securing a plane that had just landed, when there was an
explosion. “I tried three times to get a Carley float away, but we
only managed to successfully get one away, one jammed and another broke
up. The order to abandon ship came and I undressed and dived in. I spent
most of two hours swimming although I did manage to hold onto a boat for
a while, which had broken in half. A
Liverpool merchant ship picked me up; they were a swell crew on board
that ship. Each tried to give us clothes before the others; they also
gave us brandy and food.
Researched
and prepared by Robert Tennant. Second and youngest son of John Tennant.
Contact him at birkenheadtram@tiscali.co.uk
Acknowledgements to “Birkenhead News”
